Can I Interest You In Dowsing?

You may not regard dowsing as a religion, and might even think the question is not even relevant. But bear with me, because the answer may surprise you. I have met many people who treat dowsing as a religion, but who would vigorously deny it. They just don't realize they are doing it.

Religions have places called churches where they meet as a group of like-minded people. These people are often followers of a particular guru or saint who represents their articles of faith, their religious sect.

Everyone meets in church, and they all agree to believe the same articles of faith. Debate and questioning are considered heresy. You can't stand up in church and ask why we believe in the Virgin Birth or baptism. You get excommunicated. Church is not a place for thinking or questioning.

I got excommunicated from a Facebook dowsing group, not because I was rude or unpleasant, but because I asked questions about their articles of faith. I neglected to note the description of the group as a fan group of a particular guru (not a group interested in becoming better dowsers), and I made the mistake of questioning the way their guru saw things. The reaction was classic passive-aggressive, implying I wasn't playing nice because I asked someone to clarify their position or disagreed with their statement and presented another viewpoint. As if that is a discourteous thing to do. Well, I suppose it is when you are standing up in church on Sunday asking about the Immaculate Conception and no one can answer you.

Don't see dowsing as a religion

Divergent opinions are not welcome in church. But they should be welcome in dowsing groups. In our dowsing group on Facebook (now closed), people are encouraged to ask questions, think and debate. We have strong beliefs about how dowsing should be approached and defined, but we do not treat dowsing as a religion. We welcome anyone to state their beliefs and provide evidence or reasoning to prove them. We have never removed anyone from the group for having a different opinion or for presenting a different viewpoint, though truth be told, those who think in a radically different way often leave on their own. Why? Because our ‘church' doesn't appeal to them. They are looking for a bunch of people who have the same articles of faith. They are looking for a religion, not knowledge or skill or mentoring.

If you are offended when someone questions your dowsing beliefs, or if you think people shouldn't be allowed to ask you to clarify or explain your dowsing beliefs, you are probably treating dowsing as a religion. At the very least, you are refusing to take the time to think why you believe as you do. Dowsing is only empowering in that it encourages thought and questioning. Don't treat dowsing as a religion.

Have you come across this attitude? How did it present itself? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below